Around June 7, the local community started noticing a male German Shepherd dog wandering through Brockport and Sweden. Sightings spanned from the southern border of Sweden and reached into the village of Brockport and around the SUNY campus, and everywhere in between. This is when Sweden dog control officers, Dave Maynard and Caroline Thompson, stepped in.
For the next eight days, this dog would run, walk, and sometimes limp through the streets looking for food and safety. Based on calls and sightings from concerned residents, Maynard and Thompson were tracking him with a well-planned strategy. They received close to 200 phone calls with sightings which helped them develop a pattern that they followed for hours every day. They set up Have-a-Heart traps in the areas that he most frequently visited. The morning of June 15, he finally entered the humane trap and was brought to Hamlin Dog Shelter for some much needed care. When asked what his reaction was to the news of the capture, Maynard said, “So happy! Best day of my dog career – period!”
The dog is currently receiving care at Hamlin Dog Shelter through a team of volunteers who have been feeding him, training him, teaching him to trust, and setting up his medical care. The next steps are to continue to get him healthy and put some weight on, have him neutered, and continue working on manners so he can find a forever home. Maynard estimates that the medical costs will be around $800 to $1,000. For those interested in donating to his care, cash donations are being collected at 58 Main BBQ & Brew or over the phone directly to Clarkson Veterinary Hospital.
Maynard and Thompson have offered some important advice on what residents can do if they spot a stray dog. “Please don’t chase dogs who are runners; we have a plan put together to catch them, but we need them in a normal pattern. When chased, they change patterns and we have to start over. The phone calls were great on locations; that helped so much! Never approach a dog that is running. You never know [their] temperament and you could get bitten. We have no idea if they have shots up-to-date and, being on the run, you don’t know what wildlife they have run into.”
The Town of Sweden is grateful for the work of Maynard and Thompson, and the compassion of local residents who all worked together to ensure a happy ending for this dog.
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